Polk Street Contra-Flow Bike Lane Opens to the Public

Cheryl Brinkman, Vice Chair of the SFMTA Board of Directors, rides the new Polk bikeway to City Hall for the first time. Photo: Stan Parkford.

City planners, politicians, and bicycle advocates gathered this morning for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony of the contra-flow bike lane on Polk Street, a two-block protected cycle track from Market to Grove Streets. Just in time for next week’s Bike to Work Day, the opening ceremony came after a decade of delays and a great deal of pressure from advocates like the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, who were excited to see the critical connection opened to the public.

In attendance for the ceremony were District 6 Supervisor Jane Kim, SFMTA’s Ed Reiskin and Cheryl Brinkman, Department of Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru, SFBC Executive Director Leah Shahum, and a large crowd of supporters. “The new Polk contraflow bikeway is a hallmark of complete streets that prioritizes comfort, connectivity and design,” Shahum said in a statement. “Though only a few blocks, this gorgeous bikeway offers a crucial connector between the business corridors of Market and Polk Streets, making it easier for people to get to work and shop at local businesses by bike.”

Shannon Dodge, who works in affordable housing development, echoed that this “small but mighty” project is a step toward San Francisco’s goal to design complete streets that are safe and convenient for the city’s most vulnerable street users.

The critical two-block connection comes with a wide planted median fully separating bicyclists from motor traffic, the first of its kind in San Francisco. The project also adds bulb-outs for pedestrians crossing Grove Street, green-painted bike lanes in front of City Hall and running south on Polk, bike signal lights at three intersections, and left-turn queue boxes on Market Street, directing bike traffic to and from the contra-flow lane.

The project, which was originally proposed a decade ago and was included in the SF Bike Plan, suffered various delays due to poor coordination and missed contract deadlines. Nuru of DPW, who oversaw the project, ensured that it was fast-tracked back in January, just in time for the twentieth anniversary of Bike to Work Day.

Trying out the new left-turn queue boxes, which direct bicyclists to and from the Polk Street bike lanes. Photos: Stan Parkford.